Apparatus for transporting receptacles

ABSTRACT

AN AUTOMATIC TRANSPORTING APPARATUS FOR CIGARETTES WHICH COMPRISES RECEPTACLES CIRCULATING ALONG AN ENDLESS PATH HAVING PORTIONS DISPOSED IN SEVERAL VERTICAL PLANES EXTENDING BETWEEN ONE OR MORE FILLING DEVICES WHICH FILL THE RECEPTACLES WITH BLOCKS OR GROUPS OF CIGARETTES AND AN EVACUATING DEVICE WHICH EVACUATES THE CIGARETTES FROM FILLED RECEPTACLES FOR INTRODUCTION INTO A PACKAGING MACHINE. THE CIGARETTES EXTEND TRANSVERSELY OF THE BOTTOM WALLS OF THE RECEPTACLES AND THE CONVEYOR SYSTEM OF THE TRANSPORTING APPARATUS INCLUDES TWO SUPERIMPOSED STORING UNITS IN ONE OF WHICH FILLED RECEPTACLES ADVANCE SIDEWAYS TOWARD THE EVACUATING DEVICE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE CIGARETTES MOVE AXIALLY. EMPTY RECEPTACLES MOVE SIDEWAYS THROUGH THE OTHER STORING UNIT TOWARD THE FILLING DEVICE. THE OTHER STORING UNIT IS LOCATED ABOVE THE ONE STORING UNIT.   D R A W I N G

[11 3,820,671 [451 June 28, 1974 APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING RECEPTACLESInventors: Bernhard Schubert, Neu Bornsen;

Dietrich Bardenhageu, both of Hamburg-Lohbrugge, Germany Assignge:flauni-Werke Korber 8: Co. K. 9.

Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany 2 Filed: Sept. 27, 1972 Appl. No.: 292,630

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 30,204, April 20,1970, abandoned, which is a division of Ser. No. 631,504, April 17,l967, abandoned.

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 18, 1966 Germany 5915070References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1963 Schmerund 198/593,298,549 l/l967 Schmerund 214/307 3,374,905 3/1968 David et a1.3,526,325 9/l970 Temple 2l4/l6.4 C

Primary ExaminerGerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-R. JohnsonAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT An automatictransporting apparatus for cigarettes which comprises receptaclescirculating along an endless path having portions disposed in severalvertical planes extending between one or more filling devices which fillthe receptacles with blocks or groups of cigarettes and an evacuatingdevice which evacuates the cigarettes from filled receptacles forintroduction into a packaging machine. The cigarettes extendtransversely of the bottom walls of the receptacles and the conveyorsystem of the transporting apparatus includes two superimposed storingunits in one of which filled receptacles advance sideways toward theevacuating device in such a way that the cigarettes move axially. Emptyreceptacles move sideways through the other storing unit towardthefilling device. The other storing unit is located above the one storingunit.

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Fig 7 INVENTORQ APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING RECEPTACLES CROSS-REFERENCETO RELATED CASES This is a continuation of our copending applicationSer. No. 30,204, filed Apr. 20, 1970 now abandoned, which is a divisionof our application Ser. No. 631,504, filed Apr. 17, I967 and nowabandoned.

A machine for filling multi-cell receptacles is disclosed in US. Pat.No. 3,444,981 granted May 20, 1969 to Schubert and assigned to the sameassignee.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to automaticmanufacturing and packaging plants for non-filter cigarettes, filtercigarettes, filter rods, non-filter cigars, filter cigars, non-filtercigarillos, filter cigarillos and analogous rod-shaped articles. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to improvements in an apparatuswhich can be utilized to transport a supply of receptacles (also calledtrays or chargers) between one or more filling devices where thereceptacles are filled with cigarettes or other rod-shaped articles andan evacuating device which removes articles from filled receptacles andfeeds them into one or more packaging or other processing machines.Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements intransporting apparatus which may be utilized with advantage in theformation and transportation of blocks of accurately arrayed cigarettesor analogous rod-shaped articles, for example, to transfer blocks oftwenty cigarettes each from one or more makers to a packaging machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of our invention to provide anauto matic manufacturing and packaging plant for rodshaped articles,particularly for cigarettes or filter cigarettes, wherein the articlescan be assembled into blocks and fed to a packaging machine in a smallarea and in rapid sequence to meet the requirements of modern high-speedpackaging or other processing machines. I

Another object of the invention is to provide the manufacturing plantwith a novel transporting apparatus which can transfer large numbers ofblocks with requisite accuracy, without any damage to the articles, andwithout changing the distribution of such articles in the blocks.

A further object of our invention is to provide thetransportingapparatus with a novel system of conveyors and to assemble thetransporting apparatus in such a way that it can be readily combinedwith or incorporated in known tray-filling and tray-evacuating machines.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a transportingapparatus whose conveyors can support and store a large number of emptyand filled receptacles in a small area and in such a way that emptyreceptacles can be automatically fed to one or more filling machineswhile the evacuating machine or machines always receive a succession offilled receptacles.

Still another object of the instant invention is to provide amanufacturing and packaging plant for cigarettes or like rod-shapedarticles which can store larger quantities of properly arrayed articleswhile occupying the same or a smaller floor space than presently knownplants of such character.

The invention is embodied in an automatic manufacturing and packagingplant for cigarettes, filter cigarettes, filter rods, filter cigars oranalogous rod-shaped articles which are transported in receptacles orchargers having elongated bottom walls. The plant comprises at least onefilling device having transfer means for introducing articles into emptyreceptacles to thus convert such receptacles into filled receptacleswherein the article extend at right angles to the longitudinaldirections of the respective bottom walls, means (for example, one'ormore machines for the production of plain or filter cigarettes) forsupplying articles to the filling device, an evacuating device havingmeans for evacuating articles from filled receptacles to thus convertsuch receptacles into empty receptacles, consuming means (e.g., one ormore packaging machines) arranged to receive articles from theevacuating device, and conveyor means for circulating empty and filledreceptacles along an endless path, including first and second storingmeans common to the filling and evacuating devices and respectivelyarranged to accommodate supplies of empty and filled receptacles, andmeans for moving the receptacles through the storing means in suchorientation that the respective bottom walls travel sideways.

One of the storing means is preferably located at a level above theother storing means.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theimproved transporting apparatus itself, however, both as to itsconstruction and its mode of operation, together with additionalfeatures and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal ofthe following detailed description of certain specific embodiments withreference to the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view ofan automatic manufacturing and processing plant for filter cigarettesincluding a transporting apparatus which embodies one form of ourinvention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of thetransporting apparatus, substantially as seen in the direction of arrowII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of thetransporting apparatus substantially as seen in the direction of arrowIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation view of a portion of thetransporting apparatus as seen in the direction of arrow IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view as seen in the direction ofarrow V in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a greatly simplified perspective view of the structure shownin FIG. 3 and illustrates the path of movement of filled and emptyreceptacles between one of the filling devices and the evacuatingdevice; and

FIG. 7 is a similar perspective view illustrating the path of movementof receptacles in an automatic manufacturing and processing plant whichcomprises a single filling device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, theimproved transporting apparatus couples two filling devices or machines2, 4 with an evacuating device or machine 6 and is installed in a plantor production line for automatic manufacture, packaging and furtherprocessing of filter cigarettes. The transporting apparatus comprisestwo superimposed parallel straight horizontal main conveyors 8 and 10which respectively constitute storing units for empty and filledreceptacles and form part of a conveyor system which transports thereceptacles along an endless path. The filling machines 2 and 4 areaccommodated at two spaced filling stations and respectively receivefilter cigarettes from two filter cigarette producing machines or makersl2 and 14, and these makers respectively receive non-filter cigarettesfrom two cigarette making machines 16 and 18. The evacuating machine 6occupies an evacuating station behind the main conveyors 8 and 10 and iscombined with the transporting apparatus and with a packaging machine 20which provides blocks of accurately arrayed filter cigarettes with innerand outer wrappers. The packs issuing from the packaging machine 20 arefed into a wrapping machine 22 which provides each pack with atransparent plastic envelope, and the thus wrapped packs are thereuponfed into a bunching machine 24 which assembles predetermined numbers ofpacks into bunches, and such bunches are then received and transportedby a take-off conveyor 26. The transporting apparatus which includes themain conveyors 8 and 10 is capable of supplying to the evacuatingmachine 6 the combined output of both filling machines 2 and 4. Itsdetails are shown in FIGS. 2 to 5.

The two filling machines 2, 4 are of identical construction and aremirror symmetrical with reference to each other. Each of these machinescomprises a suction head or collector 28 which picks up filtercigarettes 30 from a supply conveyor 32 (also called catcher band)carrying the output of the respective maker 12 or 14. The collector 28assembles successive layers each of which contains a predeterminednumber of filter cigarettes 30. Each such layer is then transformed intoten coplanar rows containing six or seven cigarettes each, it beingassumed that the packaging machine 20 is arranged to receive blocks 160(see FIG. 5) of twenty cigarettes each in the usual array, namely twoouter rows of seven cigatettes each and a median row of six cigaretteswhose cigarettes are staggered transversel with reference to thecigarettes of the two outer rows. The manner in which the collector 28can pick up a single layer and converts it into a predetermined numberof coplanar rows is disclosed, for example, in the aforementionedcopending application Ser. No. 559,538 of Schubert. The collector 28cooperates with a first transfer member 34 which resembles a flatplate-like body and is provided with a row of ten coplanar pushers 34:each of which can shift a row of filter cigarettes 30 from the flutes atthe underside of the collector 28 into a multi-cell receptacle orcharger 38 which is located directly behind the collector. The charger38 has several superimposed parallel rows of ten cells 36 each, and onesuch row registers with the pushers 34a when the transfer member 34performs a working stroke and moves ten rows of six or seven cigaretteseach axially toward the charger 38. The transporting apparatus comprisestwo rotary drum-shaped conveyors 40 of each of which is located behindone of the collectors 28 and serves to move the respective charger 38downwardly in stepwise fashion so that a row of cells 36 is always readyto receive a row of filter cigarettes 30 when the respective transfermember 34 performs a working stroke.

Each drum 40 is indexed in synchronism with the operation of therespective transfer member 34 and cooperates with the horizontalpartitions 38a of the adjoining charger 38. The chargers have bottomwalls 38b whose length exceeds their width and the cigarettes 30 whichenter the cells 36 extend transversely of such bottom walls. Thechargers 38 can be said to constitute racks and the drums 40 constitutepinions which mesh with the respective chargers to lower them stepwisebehind the associated collectors 28. Each drum 40 is rotatedintermittently by an indexing mechanism 42. A vertically movableconveyor or platform 44 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided below and forwardlyof each drum 40, and each of these platforms 44 is raised and lowered bya drive mechanism including a pneumatic cylinder and piston unit (notshown) which rocks a lever connected to a shaft 46, the latter carryingtwo links 48 coupled to the respective side walls of the platform 44.Two additional links 52 are connected to the lower portions of such sidewalls and are articulately connected to the upper links 48 by elongatedconnecting rods 50. The links 52 can rock about a fixed horizontal shaft46a located at a level below the shaft 46. As clearly shown in FIG. 4,the drive mechanism 4652 can raise or lower the chargers 38 and can alsomove the chargers rearwardly (see the phantom line 44A) without changingthe inclination of the chargers. The just described drive mechanism cantransfer filled chargers onto a horizontal conveyor table 54 which islocated at a level below the respective drum 40. The table 54 serves asa means for guiding and supporting filled chargers when such chargerstravel in the lowermost portions of their paths on the way toward theevacuating machine 6. The transporting apparatus comprises two lowerauxiliary conveyors 56 which serve to move filled chargers 38 sidewaysas indicated in FIG. 1 by arrows 2A and 4A. Each conveyor 56 comprisesways 58 and an endless chain provided with motion transmitting lugs 57.Each chain is driven by a motor 60 which is started by an electricswitch 62 located at a level above the respective table 54 and actuableby successive filled chargers 38. The upper stringers of the endlesschains of the auxiliary conveyors 56 advance filled chargers 38 toward ajunction in the transporting apparatus at which the filled chargersbegin to advance rearwardly and away from the filling machines 2, 4 in adirection toward the evacuating machine 6. The just mentioned junctionaccommodates a shuffling platform 64 and a shifting member 66 which isoperated by a crank drive (not shown). The lower main conveyor 10 of thetransporting apparatus comprises two flexible elements here shown asbands 68, 70 which serve to advance filled chargers 36 sideways in thedirection indicated in FIG. 1 by arrow 6A. During such advance ofchargers 38, the cigarettes 30 move axially or lengthwise. Electricswitches 72 are installed below the discharge ends of auxiliaryconveyors 56 close to the shuffling platform 64. These switches can beoperated by actuating members or trips 74 on the lugs 57 of therespective auxiliary conveyors 56. The trips 74 and switches 72 performthe dual function of arresting the motors 60 of the respective auxiliaryconveyors 56 and of simultaneously starting the drive for the shiftingmember 66. The shuffling platform 64 supports an electric switch 76which is actuated by the shiftingg member 66 and is connected in serieswith the electric switches 62. The position of one of the switches 62 isbest shown in FIGA and it will be noted that this switch is actuated bya filled charger 38 when the latter is pushed onto the respective ways58 so that it is ready to be transported by the respective auxiliaryconveyor 56. j

The discharge ends of the bands 68, 70 are located in front of theevacuating machine 6 and deliver successive filled chargers 38 into therange of an elevating device including vertically reciprocable conveyoror platform 78 best shown in FIG. 5. This platform 78 serves to liftfilled chargers 38 into the range of a further drum-shaped conveyor orpinion 80 whose operation is analogous to that of the drums 40 and whichis indexible to lift the chargers 38 stepwise during evacuation ofcigarette blocks 160 from the rows of cells 36. The drum 80 is indexedin synchronism with the operation of a second reciprocable transfermember 82 which comprises coplanar plungers 84 each of which canevacuate the contents of an entire cell 36, i.e. each plunger 84 canexpel from a charger 38 a complete block 160 of twenty filter cigarettes30 at a time. The drive which reciprocates the transfer member 82includes a cam shaft 96 which rotates a disk-shaped cam 94 cooperatingwith a roller follower 92 provided on the lower arm of a two-armed lever90. The upper arm of the lever 90 is connected to a rod 88 which rocks alever 86, the latter being connected with the transfer member82. Thejust described parts 86-96 cause the transfer member 82 to performworking strokes and the drive further includes a suitable spring whichis attached to the lever 90 to bias the follower 92 against the face ofthe cam 94 so that the transfer member 82 performs a return strokewhenever the follower 92 moves nearer to the axis of the cam shaft 96.The transfer member 82 forms part of the evacuating machine 6 whichlatter further includes an endless flexible conveyor 98 comprising twoendless link chains and a series of transversely extending open-endedpockets 100 connected to such endless chains. The conveyor 98 is drivenintermittently by a sprocket 102 in such a way that ten empty pockets100 register with ten filled cells 36 of a charger 38 which is engagedby the drum 80 when the transfer member 82 performs a working strokewhereby the plungers 84 transfer ten blocks 160 of filter cigarettes 30into such empty pockets.

A further transfer member 106 having two plungers 107 (see the upperleft-hand portion of FIG. 3) forms part of the packaging machine 20 andserves to expel blocks 160 from filled pockets 100. Such blocks areintroduced into hollow mandrels 104a of a conventional turret 104 whichaccommodate blocks 160 of twenty cigarettes each while the machine 20wraps the blocks into inner and outer wrappers in a manner not formingpart of the present invention. The evacuating machine 6 furthercomprises a stationary mouthpiece 108 with ten coplanar channels whichguide the blocks 160 during transfer from cells 36 into the registeringpockets 100.

The transfporting apparatus of our invention further comprises adisplacing conveyor or device 110 which transfers empty chargers 38 ontothe endless flexible elements or hands I30, 132 of the upper mainconveyor 8, the latter serving to move such empty chargers sidewaystoward but at a level above the shuffling platform 64. The displacingdevice 110 is guided in bearings 112 shown in the upper part of FIG. 3and in FIG. 5, and the drive for reciprocating the device 110 comprisesa pneumatic cylinder and piston unit 114.

The sprocket 102 for the chains of the flexible conveyor 98 is driven bya shaft 103 which is operatively connected with the indexing mechanismfor the drum and with the cam shaft 96 and operates in synchronism withthe drive for the packaging machine 20, i.e., with the drive for thethird transfer member 106. The arrangement is such that the conveyor 98is advanced by five steps each of which corresponds to twice thedistance between the centers of two adjoining pockets during eachinterval when the transfer member 82 dwells in retracted position. Thetransfer member 106 performs a working stroke during each intervalbetween two successive steps of the conveyor 98 whereby the plungers 107transfer two blocks 160 of twenty cigarettes 30 each into theregistering empty mandrels 104a of the turret 104. Upon completion ofeach fifth step, 10 empty pockets 100 register with a row of 10 filledcells 36 in that charger 38 which is engaged by the drum 80, and thetransfer member 82 then performs a rapidly executed working stroke sothat its plungers 84 transfer ten blocks 160 into the registeringpockets 100. The blocks 160 are caused to pass through the correspondingchannels of the mouthpiece 108.

The housing or frame 116 of the evacuating machine 6 carries threeelectric switches 118, 120, 122 which are adjacent to the path ofmovement of the platform 78 (see FIG. 5). The platform 78 carries anactuating member or trip 124 which can operate the switch 118, thelatter serving to start the drive for the endless band 68, 70 of thelower main conveyor 10. The switch 12 is operated by the foremostfilled. charger 38 on the bands 68, 70 and serves to arrest the justmentioned drive for the bands 68, 70. At the same time, the switch 120starts the drive for the platform 78 so the platform moves upwardly andadvances the filled charger 38 into the range of the drum 80. The drivefor the platform 78 comprises a pneumatic cylinder and piston unit whichis not shown in the drawings. The switch 122 is operated by a filledcharger 38 on the platform 78 or by the platform itself and serves toreverse the drive for this platform when the respective filled chargerreaches the drum 80 whereby the platform 78 descends to its lower endposition and is ready to receive'a fresh filled charger 38 from thebands 68, 70.

The aforementioned housing or frame 116 of the evacuating machine 6further carries an electric switch 128 which is mounted on a supportingbracket 126 and is operated by an empty charger 38 when such chargerreaches its upper end position. The empty charger is moved to such upperend position by the drum 80. The switch 128 causes the cylinder andpiston unit 114 to perform a working stroke (in a direction to the left,as viewed in FIG. 5) whereby the displacing display transfers therespective empty charger onto the upper runs of endless bands 130, 132which form part of the aforementioned upper main conveyor 8.

As stated before, the bands 130, 132 will transport empty chargers 38back in a direction toward the shuf fling platform 64. The bands 130,132 deliver empty chargers onto adistributor platform 134 whichdistributes empty chargers to two upper auxiliary conveyors 136 eachhaving an endless chain provided with motion transmitting lugs 138. Thefunction of the auxiliary auxiliary conveyors 56, i.e., they advanceempty chargers back toward the corresponding filling machines 2, 4. Theauxiliary conveyors 136 deliver empty chargers onto tables 140 eachcooperating with an advancing member 142 and carrying a pair of endlessconveyor bands 144, 146. The distributor platform 134 carries anelectric switch 148 which is actuated by empty chargers 38 to start andarrest the drive for the bands 130, 132 of the upper main conveyor 8 aswell as to start the drive for one of the auxiliary conveyors 136 in theone or the other direction. Two additional electric switches 150 areprovided on the distributor platform 134 adjacent to the ends of theauxiliary conveyors 136 and each of these switches is actuatable bytrips 152 provided on the lugs 138 of the respective conveyor 136. Theswitches 150 arrest the respective conveyors 136 and start the drivesfor the associated advancing members 142. Each table 140 carries anelectric selector switch 154 having a movable contact provided with aroller which extends above the surface of the table 140. When an emptycharger 38 rests on the roller of the adjacent switch 154, the latterarrests the drive for the corresponding auxiliary conveyor 136 When theempty charger is moved off the respective switch 154, the latter startsthe drive for the corresponding auxiliary conveyor 136 so that suchconveyor advances empty chargers toward the respective drum 40. At alevel above the tables 140, there are provided electric switches 158which are mounted on supporting brackets 156. The switches 158 areactuated by empty chargers 38 to start and arrest the drives for thebands 144, 146.

The operation is as follows:

The machines 2 and 4 fill successive chargers 38 in a manner asdisclosed in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 559,538of Schubert. Thus, the pushers 34a of the transfer member 34 shiftsuccessively assembled rows of filter cigarettes 30 in the axialdirection of such cigarettes whereby the cigarettes leave the flutes ofthe corresponding collectors 28 and enter the registering cells 36. Theoperation of each transfer member 34 is synchronized with operation ofthe respective collector 28 and the latter assembles, successively, lrows of seven cigarettes each, rows of six cigarettes each, and ten rowsof seven cigarettes each so that the cells 36 receive blocks 160 each ofwhich contains two outer rows of seven cigarettes each and a median rowof six cigarettes in an array which is customary in cigarette packs. Thedrive for the transfer member 34 controls the operation of the indexingmechanism 42 for the corresponding drum 40 so that the latter lowers thecharger 38 in stepwise fashion. The axially parallel ribs of the drum 40act not unlike the teeth of a pinion and cooperate with the horizontalpartitions 38a of the adjoining empty or partially filled charger 38 tolower the latter at intervals determined by the associated transfermember 34. Each third angular displacement of the drum 40 is greaterthan the preceding two to account for the thickness of partitions 38a.

When a charger 38 is filled, i.e., when each of the uppermost row of itscells 36 has received a third or uppermost row of filter cigarettes 30,the bottom wall 38b of such filled charger comes to rest on thecorresponding platform 44 which latter is then held in its uppermostposition. A suitable pressure-responsive valve (not shown) is actuatedby the filled charger 38 and operates the pneumatic cylinder and pistonunit which rotates or permits rotation of the shaft 46 in acounterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that the platform 44travels along the arcuate path 44A shown in FIG. 4 and transfers thefilled charger 38 onto the corresponding table 54. The cylinder andpiston unit of the drive for the platform 44 is preferably of thedouble-acting type so that it can rotate the shaft 46 in two directions.As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the parts 48-52 can move a filled charger 38downwardly and rearwardly so that a charger which comes to rest on thetable 54 does not interfere with stepwise descent of a partially filledcharger which is engaged by the drum 40. As the platform 44 deposits afilled charger 38 onto the table 54, it simultaneously pushes a columnof filled chargers 38 along the table 54 so that the rearmost filledcharger advances onto the associated ways 58 and is in the path of lugs57 on the corresponding auxiliary conveyor 56. Such rearmost charger 38also actuates the switch 62 which starts the motor 60 so that theauxiliary conveyor 56 advances the filled charger along the ways 58 andtoward the shuffling platform 64. When the platform 44 reaches its lowerend position, it resets the aforementioned valve so that the pneumaticcylinder and piston unit operates in reverse and returns the platform 44to the upper end position shown in FIG. 4. This platform is then readyto receive the next-following filled charger 38.

When a filled charger 38 reaches the shuffling platform 64, the trip 74of the lug 57 which has pushed such filled charger along the ways 58actuates the corresponding switch 72 which arrests the motor 60 for theauxiliary conveyor 56 and starts the drive for the shifting member 66 sothat the latter performs a working stroke and pushes the rearmost filledcharger of the column on the platform 64 onto the receiving ends of theendless bands 68, 70. The drive for the shifting member 66 isoperatively connected with both motors 60 in such a way that theshifting member 66 is free to perform a working stroke only when themotors 60 are idle. This prevents collision of filled chargers 38 on theshuffling platform 64.

Upon completion of a working stroke, the shifting member 66 immediatelyreturns to retracted position and actuates the switch 76 whose contactsare connected in series with the two switches 62 and which selects thecircuits of the motors 60.

The two auxiliary conveyors 56 operate in two parallel planes so thatchargers which were filled by the machine 2 are transferred onto theshuffling platform 64 behind chargers which were filled by the machine4. In other words, a filled charger 38 coming in a direction from themachine 2 is more distant from the shifting member 66 (when the latteris moved to retracted position) than a charger 38 which has been filledby the machine 4.

The bands 68, 70 advance filled chargers 38 toward the evacuatingmachine 6 and the blocks are evacuated by the transfer member 82. Thedischarge ends of the bands 68, 70 deliver successive filled chargers 38onto the platform 78 (FIG. 5). Actually, the rearmost filled charger 38is transferred onto the platform 78 by the next-following filled chargerwhenever the bands 68, 70 advance by a step in the direction indicatedin FIG. 1 by the arrow 6A. A filled charger 38 which has beentransferred onto the platform 78 actuates the switch 120 which arreststhe drive for the bands 68, 70 and energizes the solenoid of anelectromagnetic valve (not shown) for the pneumatic cylinder and pistonunit which lifts the platform 78. The upwardly moving platform 78advances the filled charger 38 into abutment with the partiallyevacuated charger thereabove and continues to move the filled chargerupwardly until the latter enters the range of and is engaged by the drum80. The platform 78 is moved downwardly when the charger 38 on theplatform 78 releases the switch 122. The indexing movements of the drum80 are greater than those of the drums 40 because the drum 80 must lifta charger 38 by steps corresponding to the distance between the centersof two superimposed cells 36. As explained above, the plungers 84 of thesecond transfer member 82 transfer a full row of blocks 160 at a time,i.e., the transfer member 82 will perform a single working stroke whilethe transfer member 34 completes three working strokes. The operation ofthe transfer member 82 is synchronized with the operation of drum 80 insuch a way that the plungers 84 transfer a row of blocks 160 into theregistering pockets 100 of the flexible conveyor 98 while the charger 38dwells between two successive stepwise advances in response to indexingof the drum 80. Blocks 160 which are transferred by the plungers 84travel through the channels of the mouthpiece 108 and come to rest inthe registering pockets 100. As stated before, the sprocket 102 advancesthe conveyor 98 by five steps in response to a single indexing movementof the drum 80, and each such step corresponds to twice the distancebetween the centers of two adjoining pockets 100 so that the conveyor 98maintains ten empty pockets 100 in registry with the mouthpiece 108whenever the transfer member 82 begins a working stroke to expel tenblocks 160 from a row of cells 36 in that charger 38 which is engaged bythe drum 80. The transfer member 106 of the packaging machine 20 causesits plungers 107 to transfer two blocks 160 from the registering pockets100 into the corresponding mandrels 104a of the turret 104 during eachinterval between successive stepwise advances of the flexible conveyor98.

When the drum 80 takes over a filled charger 38 from the platform 78,such filled charger 38 begins to move upwardly in response to indexingof the drum 80 and the switch 122 then reverses the drive for theplatform 78 and causes the latter to return to the lower end position.When the platform 78 reaches such lower end position, its trip 124actuates the switch 118 which arrests the drive for the platform 78 andsimultaneously starts the drive for the bands 68, 70 of the lower mainconveyor so that the bands advance a fresh filled charger 38 onto theplatfonn 78. Such filled charger actuates the switch 120 and theprocedure is repeated in the aforedescribed sequence. 1

When the plungers 84 of the transfer member 82 have completed thetransfer of blocks 160 from the lowermost row of cells 36 in a chargerwhich is engaged by the drum 80, the thus emptied charger 38 assumes thephantom-line position shown in FIG. 5 and actuates the switch 128 whichenergizes the solenoid of a valve in the circuit of the drive 114 forthe displacing device 110. This device 110 performs a single workingstroke and transfers the empty charger onto the bands 130, 132 of theupper main conveyor 8. Such transfer of an empty charger 38 onto thebands 130, 132 need not necessarily start the drive for these bands.

When one of the upper auxiliary conveyors 136 advances an empty chargerfrom the distributor platform 134 toward the corresponding table 140 tosuch an extent that the thus advanced charger moves off the roller ofthe switch 148 on the platform 134, the latter starts the drive for thebands 130, 132 of the main conveyor 8 and the bands continue to advancethe empty charger which has been transferred by the displacing deviceuntil such empty charger comes to rest on the switch 148 and therebyarrests the drive for the bands 130, 132. Of course, the bands 130, 132may support an entire row or column of empty chargers so that they willadvance only by a step in order to transfer an empty charger onto theplatform 134 and to actuate the switch 148.

An empty charger 38 which rests on the switch 148 remains in suchposition until one of the filling machines 2, 4 sends a signal that itrequires an empty charger. Such signal is transmitted by thecorresponding selector switch 154 which the bands 144, 146 advance thecolumn of empty chargers on the corresponding table by a step so thatthe corresponding auxiliary conveyor 136 can deliver an empty chargerfrom the distributor platform 134. For example, and if the switch 154 onthe table 140 which is adjacent to the filling machine 2 sends a signalthat the auxiliary conveyor 136 can advance an empty charger from thedistributor platform 134 toward the table 140,, one lug 138 of suchauxiliary conveyor 136 advances the registering empty charger along theupperstringer of the auxiliary conveyor 136 and toward the table 140behind the machine 2. The trip 152 of the lug 138 then actuates theswitch which arrests the drive for the auxiliary conveyor 138 and startsthe drive for the adjoining advancing member 142. The member 142performs a single working stroke toward the machine 2 and transfers thefreshly delivered empty charger 38 onto the switch 154 whereby thelatter blocks the drive for the auxiliary conveyor 136 so that thelatter cannot transfer another empty charger until after the precedingempty charger moves off the switch 154. However, the auxiliary conveyor136 can be driven in the opposite direction to return its lug 138 into areceiving position with reference to an empty charger on the distributorplatform 134.

When the drum 40 behind the machine 2 has lowered a charger 38 to suchan extent that this charger descends to a level below the correspondingswitch 156, the latter starts the drive for the bands 144, 146 so thatthese bands advance an empty charger into registry with the descendingcharger. The tlhus advanced empty charger releases the switch 154 whichreleases or unblocks the drive of the associated auxiliary conveyor 136so that the latter can remove an empty charger from the distributorplatform 134 unless the other auxiliary conveyor has received a signalto deliver an empty charger to the machine 4.

As the bands 144, 146 advance an empty charger 38 toward the rear sideof the machine 2, such empty charger actuates the switch 158 which thenarrests the drive for the bands 144, 146. This empty charger than sharesstepwise movements of the preceding charger which is still engaged bythe adjoining drum 40. When the preceding charger is filled, the emptycharger is positively engaged by the drum 40 and is thereupon loweredstepwise in a manner as described above. The empty charger exertspressure on the filled charger below it so that such filled chargerbears against the platform 44 (FIG.

4) and the platform actuates the aforementioned pressure-responsiveswitch which causes the drive for the platform 44 to transfer the filledcharger onto the corresponding table 54.

Of course, the construction of the improved transporting apparatus canbe simplified considerably if the evacuating machine 6 receives theoutput of a single filling machine 2 or 4. The chargers 38 thencirculate in an endless path which is located in a single vertical planein contrast to the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 5 wherein chargers travellingbetween the machine 6 and the machine 2 or 4 travel in three mutuallyinclined vertical planes, namely, in a first plane which is defined bythe main conveyors 8, the platform 78, drum 80 and the displacing device110, a second plane which is defined by auxiliary conveyors 56, 136, anda third plane defined by the bands 144, 146, drum 40, platform 44 andtable 54. During travel in the first and third planes, the cigarettes 30move axially. When travelling in the second plane, the cigarettes 30move sideways. The manner in which the chargers 38 travel between thefilling machine 4 and the evacuating machine 6 is illustratedschematically in FIG. 6. The arrow 200 indicates the direction of travelof empty, partially filled and filled chargers 38 with the drum 40 andplatform 44. The arrow 201 indicates the direction of travel of filledchargers 38 along the table 54, and the arrow 202 indicates thedirection of travel of filled chargers with the lower auxiliary conveyor56. During travel with the bands 68, 70 of the lower main conveyor 10,filled chargers 38 advance in the direction of arrow 203, and the arrow204 indicates the direction of travelof filled, partially filled andempty trays with the platform 78 and drum 80. The arrow 205 shows thedirec tion of travel of empty chargers with the displacing member 110,bands 130, 132 of the upper main conveyor 8 and on the distributorplatform 134. The arrow 206 indicates the direction of travel of emptychargers with the upper auxiliary conveyor 136, and the arrow 207 showsthe direction of travel of an empty charger with the bands 144, 146 onthe table 140. The arrows 200, 201 and 207 are located in a firstvertical plane 210; the arrows 202, 206 are located in a second verticalplane 211; and the arrows 203, 204, 205 are located in a third verticalplane 212. In the illustrated embodiment, the planes 210, 212 make rightangles with the plane 211.

FIG. 7 illustrates schematically a transporting apparatus which cantransfer empty and filled receptacles or chargers between a singlefilling machine 2' and a single evacuating machine 6'. The arrow 300indicates the direction of travel of empty chargers with the drum 40 andplatform 44 which latter then transfers filled chargers directly ontothe bands 68, 70 of the lower main conveyor 10 whereon filled chargersadvance in the direction indicated by arrow 301. The arrow 302 indicatesthe direction of travel of filled, partially filled and empty chargerswith the platform 78 and drum 80. The arrow 303 indicates the directionof travel of empty chargers with the bands 130, 132 of the upper mainconveyor 8 which latter delivers empty chargers directly into the rangeof the drum 40. It will be seen that the arrows 300-303 are located in asingle vertical plane 304. During travel in the plane 304, thecigarettes move axially or lengthwise.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can,

by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applicationswithout omitting features which fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our contributionto the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended tobe comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of theclaims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic manufacuring and packaging plant for cigarettes orsimilar rod-shaped articles which are transported in receptacles havingelongated bottom walls, a combination comprising at least one fillingdevice having transfer means for introducing articles into emptyreceptacles to thus convert such receptacles into filled receptacleswherein the articles are disposed at right angles to the longitudinaldirections of the respective bottom walls; means for supplying articlesto said filling device; an evacuating device having means for evacuatingarticles from filledreceptacles to thus convert such receptacles intoempty receptacles; consuming means arranged to receive the thusevacuated articles; and conveyor means for circulating empty and filledreceptacles along an endless path, including first and second storingmeans common to said devices and respectively arranged to accommodatesupplies of empty and filled receptacles, and first and second means forrespectively moving empty and filled receptacles through said first andsecond storing means on to said filling and evacuating devicesrespectively in such orientation that the respective bottom walls travelsideways and as long as said first and second storing means respectivelycontain empty and filled receptacles irrespective of the positions ofsuch receptacles in the respective storing means.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said transfer meanscomprises means for introducing groups of articles into emptyreceptacles.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein one of said storingmeans is located at a level above the other storing means.

4. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the means for moving thearticles through said storing means comprises endless flexible elements.

5. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving thereceptacles through said storing means is arranged to move suchreceptacles along substantiably horizontal paths which are at leastsubstantially parallel to each other.

6. A combination as defined in claim I, wherein said means for supplyingarticles to said filling device comprises a plurality of producingmachines.

7. A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor meanscomprises at least one portion which transports receptacles betweendifferent levels.

8. In an automatic manufacturing and packaging plant for cigarettes oranalogous rod-shaped articles which are transported in receptacleshaving elongated bottom walls, a combination comprising at least onefilling device having transfer means for introducing articles into emptyreceptacles to thus convert such receptacles into filled receptacleswherein the articles are disposed at right angles to the longitudinaldirections of the respective bottom walls; an evacuating device remotefrom said filling device and having means for removing articles fromfilled receptacles to thus convert such receptacles into emptyreceptacles; consuming means arranged to receive articles which areremoved from filled receptacles; first storing means disposed betweensaid filling and evacuating devices and arranged to accommodate a supplyof empty receptacles; second storing means disposed between said fillingand evacuating devices and arranged to accommodate a supply of filledreceptacles, said first and second storing means spanning at least asubstantial part of the distance between said filling and evacuatingdevices and one of said storing means being located at a level above theother storing means, said removing and transfer means being each locatedat a level other than at least one of said storing means, said first andsecond storing means respectively comprising at least one first and atleast one second conveyor respectively arranged to transport empty andfilled receptacles in such positions that the bottom walls of thereceptacles expend transversely of the direction of movement of therespective conveyors, said first andsecond conveyors being respectivelyarranged to furnish, when needed, to said filling and evacuating devicesan empty and a filled receptacle as long as the first and second storingmeans respectively contain at least one empty and at least one filledreceptacle irrespective of the initial position of such one receptaclein the respective storing means; first transporting means for movingempty receptacles delivered by said first conveyor qlong said transfermeans and thereupon to said second storing means, said firsttransporting means including conveyor means actuatable to transportreceptacles from the level of said first storing means to the level ofsaid filling means and thereupon to the level of said second storingmeans; second transporting means for moving filled receptacles deliveredby said second conveyor to the removing means of said evacuating deviceand thereupon to said first conveyor, said second transporting meansincluding conveyor means actuatable to move receptacles from the levelof said second storing means to the level of said removing means andthereupon to the level of said first storing means; and first and secondcontrol means respectively located in the region of said filling andevacuating devices for respectively actuating the conveyor means of saidfirst and second transporting means.

9. A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said first and secondconveyors are arranged to transport empty and filled receptacles alongsubstantially hori zontal paths, said conveyor means of said first andsecond transporting means including means for moving empty and filledreceptacles along substantially vertical paths.

10. A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein each of said first andsecond conveyors comprises at least one endless flexible element haingan upper stretch for supporting and moving the receptacles in therespective storing means.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE Certificate Patent No.3,820,671 Patented June 28, 1974 Bernhard Schubert and DietrichBardenhagen Application having been made by Bernhard Schubert andDietrich Bardenhagen, the inventors named in the patent aboveidentified, and Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. KG. Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany,the assignee, for the issuance of a certificate under the provisions ofTitle 35, Section 256, of the United States Code, deleting the name ofDietrich Bardenhagen as a joint inventor, and a showing and proof offacts satisfying the requirements of the said section having beensubmitted, it is this 2nd day of March 1976, certified that the name ofthe said Dietrich Bardenhagen is hereby deleted to the said patent as ajoint inventor with the said Bernhard Schubert.

FRED W. SHERLING, Asr a e Sol ci r

